During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (17-20 May 2021), MEPs debate on Just Transition Fund, a key tool to support the territories most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality providing them with tailored support. It is implemented under shared management, under the overall framework of Cohesion policy, which is the main EU policy to reduce regional disparities and to address structural changes in the EU. Opening statements by Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), Rapporteur, Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), BUDG; Henrike HAHN (Greens/EFA, DE), ECON; Mounir SATOURI (Greens/EFA, FR), EMPL; Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), ITRE and by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Brussels

SCHMIT, Nicolas (LU, EC)

statement

debate

plenary session

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

MUREŞAN, Siegfried (EPP, RO)

KEFALOGIANNIS, Manolis (EPP, EL)

Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 (T)

SATOURI, Mounir (Greens/EFA, FR)

HAHN, Henrike (Greens/EFA, DE)

European Green Deal (T)

just transition fund (T)

Just Transition Fund: opening statements by Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), Rapporteur and by Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), Dear colleagues, The Just Transition Fund is the first legislative proposal implementing the European Green Deal. The European Green Deal is a project of one trillion euros. It's Europe ambition to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. This is a top priority for our continent. I'm therefore deeply honoured and proud to be appointed as the rapporteur for the Just transition fund for the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), JTF is a key tool to ensure that transition towards climate neutral economy happens in a fair way, leaving no one behind. If we had funds from the Just transition fund, Invest EU and European Investment Bank will mobilise through the transition mechanism more than 100 billion euros. Just transition fund is for European Union to lead the way for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, adopting a fair and just green transition. Without just residual fund intervention, regions could not make it on their own.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), They require investment for structural changes in energy support, supply and demand. Countries can spend their own JTF money in areas such as clean energy, training workers, assistance for job seekers. But they cannot spend this money to support any investment linked to fossil fuel, including natural gas.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), On December 2020, a political agreement has been reached. The European Commission announced the main elements of the compromise the budgetary commitment for 2021/23, the voluntary transfer from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund. Plus, in a voluntary base, the broadening of the scope to address the social aspect of the transition. The exclusion of the fossil fuel financing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), The reward mechanism linked to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission. And not to forget, the islands and the outermost regions which should be taken into account by the member states. Dear colleagues, the Green Deal and its social aspect, the Just transition fund, are the best examples that can inspire the whole world for the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change. Special thanks I have to address to the shadow rapporteurs of all parties to the char, coordinators, and the Secretariat, to all colleagues and committees involved in the subject. To my APAS and my team.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), Special thanks to Commissioner Ferreira and the German presidency for their goodwill and cooperation. And of course, to the founder of the JTF, our colleague Jerzy Buzek. Their contribution, support, advice, assistance and cooperation was invaluable. Thank you once more for your attention and for your cooperation. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), Thank you very much, Madam President. Dear colleagues, this week is a very important week for the European Parliament and for the people of Europe because we are going to give the final vote on the creation of the just transition fund. The message is clear to the people, the enterprises and the regions that will have to adapt most in the transition to the green economy will receive the most support from the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), As rapporteur of the opinion for the Budget Committee, I can proudly see that we have initiated and succeeded in coupling the structural funds with a just transition fund financing only on a voluntary basis. We rejected the initial proposal of the European Commission, which said that if you want to access one year from the transition fund, you have to bring 1,5 million euros from your own structural funds.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), We rejected that because we have new objectives, ambitious objectives in the transition towards the green economy. And if we have new objectives, we also need to provide adequate new funding. And this is what is happening now. We have new, ambitious objectives in the transition to the green economy. We are providing new hope for the people of Europe. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (German), Henrike HAHN (Greens/EFA, DE), we want to make Europe the first climate neutral climate, at least 2050, and in order to do that, we need this fund for the just transition as a key element of the green deal in order to reduce our CO2 emissions and to have a fair rebuilding of the infrastructure. Now, we asked for 40 billion because we could calculate in a realistic way. So this is supposed to really help regions in transition who are now dependent on coal based fuels.

SOUNDBITE (German), Henrike HAHN (Greens/EFA, DE), So we support the European coal regions on their path to a new future with enormous investments in start-ups SMEs, social projects, cultural investments and reskilling and training. Change is possible and it's possible to bring everyone along. And I think that's very particularly important with the just transition fund. They're not going to use one single euro for fossil fuels, otherwise it just wouldn't make any sense in climate terms. This this is a feasible change and the future begins now.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mounir SATOURI (Greens/EFA, FR), President, commissioner, colleagues. What a pleasure to hear about funding for hydrogen, for green energy, for jobs, for a just transition for all the people whose territories are undergoing so much radical change funding, which will support employment, which will support a genuine sea change in society.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mounir SATOURI (Greens/EFA, FR), What a pleasure to hear all about this local and regional action plans in social policy, which can be based on cooperation and partnerships. I am sure that this just transition fund will play a very valuable and positive role in transforming our regions and our territories, and I am so delighted to see it.

SOUNDBITE (French), Mounir SATOURI (Greens/EFA, FR), I'd like to see it being even more effective. And I think if we can get more funding and more instruments into our overall panoply of tools, we will have even better employment and climate prospects. I'm delighted to see this is a very good initiative. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Thank you so much, Madam President. First of all, I would like to congratulate to our rapporteur, Mr Kefala, Johannes, and also a shadow rapporteur as the just transition fund was created after talks with local authorities, especially in my region. Slesia where challenges are enormous and actually people living in a 31 mining areas and regions are the basis of this fund.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), That's why the fund was created. They don't want to live in a smog filled cities, but on the other hand, they don't want to make difficult choices. We have to create new opportunities for them, for the regions, for their children.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Two issues very important. First of all, when it comes to implementation of the fund, it has to go in line with plans of local communities because it's for them that the fund was created. And let us remember, this transition will take 30 years. We need a separate budget line for the next three to four multiannual financial budgets. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Madame President, honourable members, yes, somebody said it already today is a historic milestone and historic moment, the first legislative element of the transition package and under the Green Deal to be approved by Co-legislators. And there's only three weeks after provision of a political agreement was reached on the third and last legislative element of the just transition mechanism, a public sector loan facility for just transition regions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, This journey started with a commitment taking taken by President von der Leyen in front of this parliament in July 2019, and your vote today enables the journey to continue. It enables Europe to move forward with our ambitious goal of becoming the world's first carbon neutral continent. And your vote today enables us to reach this goal while leaving no region, no work behind, because in Europe we do not compromise our key goals.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, We will be carbon neutral and we will leave no one behind. We will meet both goals together. And therefore, I'm very happy as a commissioner for social rights, by the way, to have the honour to to to be here this evening. Commissioner Ferreira, whom I represent today as she's currently on mission, asked me to pay tribute to Manolis Kefalogiannis, as well as to the shadow rapporteurs who already expressed themselves.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, My warmest thanks also on her behalf for your fruitful cooperation. During the interinstitutional discussions, you had to reach agreement in record time. You also raise the quality of the proposal. Amendments from the Parliament raised our ambitions, for example, through the green rewarding mechanism. The adoption of the regulation today paves the way for submission and approval of the territorial just transition plans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, These plans are currently being prepared across Europe with the help of EU technical support. The approval of the plans is critical for each territory to effectively access not only the just transition fund but also the other two pillars of the just transition mechanism, namely the just transition scheme under Invest EU and the public sector loan facility.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, It is important that eligible territories optimise the support of these various instruments to address all development needs and challenges stemming from the climate transition. Today starts our common work in the implementation, but today starts also our common work in making a success of the Just Transition Fund.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Today starts our common work delivering, on the ground, a green transition which leaves no region behind. The Commission is fully committed to this. The Parliament is our key partner and ally in this work and has always been. We will keep you duly informed of progress. Thank you very much.